Circular loom



April 13, 1937. w POQL 2,076,792

' CIRCULAR LOOM Filed Jan. 5, 1936 NlLLlAM PooL INVENTOR ATTORNEYS i Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCULAR LOOM Application January 3, 1936, Serial No. 57,391 In Great Britain January 16, 1935 6 Claims.

This invention relates to circular looms, and particularly to the shuttles and weft supplies of such looms.

According to the invention, the weft spool of a circular loom is arranged to rotate to permit weft to be withdrawn by rotation of the spool, and a brake member is movably mounted in proximity to the spool,-so that when the shuttle carrying the spool ceases to rotate, the inertia of the brake member causes the member to move, and thereupon to apply a braking force to the spool to check its rotation. In this way over-running of the spool with consequent unwinding of weft is avoided, so that the spool is immediately ready for use on re-starting of the loom.

The brake member is preferably arranged as a lever provided with considerable leverage, a brake pad for engagement with the spool being placed near to the pivot of the lever, while the mass of the lever (including, if desired, additional weight provided to load the lever) is several times farther away from the pivot. Such a lever gives a relatively powerful braking action, and rapidly brings the spool to rest. When the deceleration ceases, the brake automatically moves out of contact with the spool.

By way of example a form of braking apparatus according to the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the braking apparatus incorporated in a circular loom shuttle of the same general type as that described in U. S. application S. No. 43,539 filed 4th October 1935.

Fig. 2 is a part cross-sectional end elevation viewed along line 2--2 of Fig. 1 with the spool shown in dotted lines; and

Fig. 3 is a view on larger scale of a detail of Fig. 1.

The shuttle comprises a top plate 3 and an intermediate plate 4, the two plates being connected by a rear plate 5 of sheet metal or like material. Depending from the intermediate plate 5 is the lower portion, or body, of the shuttle generally indicated by 6, the body 6 carrying two pairs of flanged rollers l for engagement by vane wheels 8, which position and drive the shuttle between the divided warp threads 9. For further details of the construction and operation of the shuttle reference may be had to the specification previously referred to.

A shallow circular spool ID freely rotatable about a spindle I I outstanding from the rear plate 5 supplies weft thread I2 to the fell of the fabric, the weft thread passing from the spool to the fell of the fabric through guides E3. The spool I0 is rotated about the spindle H by the pull of the unwinding weft thread l2 as the shuttle is driven along its path round the loom.

The spool I0 is spaced from the rear plate 5 by a shoulder it: formed on the spindle H, the spool being retained on the spindle by a spring clip [6 fitting into a circumferential groove formed at the end of the spindle. The spring clip l6 allows of quick removal and replacement of the spool l0.

Disposed in the space between the spool l0 and the rear plate 5, on the right-hand side of the spindle H, is a lever ll, the lever being freely pivoted at its upper extremity on a bracket 18 and consequently capable of swinging pendulumwise between the spool and the plate.

The lever l! is provided with a weight ill at its lower extremity and with a brake for the spool at a point near its upper extremity. The brake comprises a lined shoe 2| outstanding from the lever IT, in the manner shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, the brake being just clear of the edge of the inner flange of the spool when the lever I1 is in vertical position.

The extent of the movement of the lever I1 is controlled by a strap 22 secured to the plate 5. So long as the shuttle is not decelerating the lever I! either hangs vertically downwards or,

if the shuttle is travelling very quickly, the inertia of the lever and the weight l9 may cause the lower end of the lever to bear against the right hand limit of the strap 22, the brake 2| in either case being clear of the spool l 0.

When, however, the shuttle is stopped, the inertia of the lever l1 and weight 19 causes the lever to continue its forward motion parallel to the plane of rotation of the shuttle with the result that the lever swings to the left about its pivot and applies the brake 2! to the inner flange of the spool ill, the spool thus being brought to rest substantially simultaneously with, or very quickly after, the stoppage of the shuttle. In this manner, over-running of the spool, with consequent undesirable unwinding of the weft thread I2, is prevented. The operative or braking position of the lever I1 is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

When the deceleration of the shuttle ceases, the lever I1 swings to the rightautomatically and removes the brake 2i from contact with the spool, in readiness for re-starting of the loom.

The force of the application of the, brake 2| is substantially proportional to the rate of decoloration of the shuttle and depends on the mass of the weight l9 and the leverage provided by the lever IT. The weight [9 may be replaced by one of greater or less mass, or may be adjusted in position on the'lever I1 nearer to'or farther from the pivot in accordance with the speed at which the shuttle is to run, and if nec: essary, with the Weight of Weft carried by the v spool.

particularly in connection with the application I of a brake to the edge of aflangeof the spool, it will be understood that the movement of the lever I! could simply be adapted to apply a braking force to the spool ID in many diiferent ways. For example, the swinging of the lever could bring about the contraction of a brake band on to a drum-portion formed on the spool, or the introduction of a braking Wedge between the inher face of the spool and the rear plate 5 ofthe shuttle.

The weft spool arrangement abovedescrib'ed is useful for weaving with low twist continuous filament weft since it effectively provides for uni-- form low weft tension. It is'also very useful for Weaving untwistedweft, and particularly weftlike metallic ribs or strips of artificial foils, since 1 it enables these to be laid in the fabric without the insertion of any twist during unwinding.-

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Acircular loom shuttle adapted for propulsion round the loom, comprising means to support a weft spool rotatably in the shuttle, and

' a freely movable. braking member mounted in proximity to the spool and adapted, on deceleration of the shuttle, to move under the influence of inertia and thereupon to apply a braking force to the spool.

2. A circular loom shuttle adapted for propulsion round the loom, comprising means to support a flanged weft spool rotatably in the shuttle, and a freely movable braking member mounted in proximity to the spool and adapted, on deceleration of the shuttle, to move under the influence of inertia and thereupon to apply a braking force to a' flange of the. spool.

3. A circularloom shuttle adapted for propulsion round the loom, comprising means to support a. weft spool rotatably in the shuttle, a

pivot in the vicinity of the spool, and a spoolbraking member freely mounted on said pivot and adapted on deceleration of the shuttle to rotate about said pivot under theinfluence of inertia and thereupon to apply a braking force to the spool.

4. A circular loom shuttle adapted for pro-' pulsion round the loom, comprising means to support a weft spool rotatably in the shuttle, a pivot in the vicinity of the spool, a lever freely mounted on said pivot, and a spool brake in association with said lever, said lever being adapted, on deceleration of the shuttle, to rotate-about 7 said pivot under the influence of inertia and thereupon to apply said brake to the spool.

5..A circular loom shuttle adapted for propulsion round the. loom, comprising means to support a flanged weft spoolrotatably in the shuttle,. a pivot in the vicinity of the spool, a

lever freely suspended from said pivot, and a 7 spool brake disposed on said lever in proximity to the edge of a flange of said spool, said lever being adapted, on deceleration of the shuttle, to rotate about said pivot under the influence of inertia and thereupon to apply said brake toa flange of the spool. ,7

6. A circular loom shuttle adapted for pro-' pulsion. round the-loom, comprising means to 7 support a weft spool rotatably in the shuttle;

a pivot inthe vicinity of the spool, a lever freelymounted on said pivot, a spool brake in association with said lever, said lever being' adapted, on deceleration of the shuttle,-torotate about said pivot under the influence of inertia and thereupon to apply said brake to the, spool, and

a weight on said lever, said weight being replaceable by a weight of different mass in accordance with the braking force desired. 1

WILLIAM POOL. 

